Sleeping and waking-up: Korra and Asami style
by grinko
Summary: Korra and Asami explores spirit world and, cautiously, their relationship level. This is a story about their night "arrangements" and their mornings, which started to have rituals of their own. And some things that happened after the vocation. But also only during the late evenings, nights or mornings.
1. Chapter 1

Note: Second and third chapters are basically just build-ups for later chapters.

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It was a great time in the spirit world. Both Korra and Asami did not think or talk about all the things that happened in the material world or what will they have to do after coming back. Both wanted to disassociate from all the things that were in the physical world including the emotional side. They just wondered the spirit world, went to see Iroh, Tree of Time, went out and back in trough both the Northern and the Southern spirit portals just because they could and just because they wanted to see if it would be any different from the new spirit portal. Korra had some doubts about Wan Shi Tong's library, because of all the stories she heard from Katara and needed to learn in school from Sokka's books. But then Asami asked what she was thinking about and, like always, she answered without thinking. As a result, Asami insisted they would go there and, of course, they did. Korra was in her "prepared-for-anything-to-protect" mode. While the not-so-fond Wan Shi Tong talked with Asami and, after five minutes, was impressed by her intelligence, especially after she started to talk about the possible constructional improvements to his library. Korra was impressed too. Although she wasn't sure was it Asami's ability to impressed the scary knowledge spirit or Asami's intelligence in general that affected her so much at that moment.

"_Both_." - Korra though to herself and silently followed the Knowledge human.

It was the good days. They talked about the spirits, the spirit world environment, how it changes, how it reacts to emotions, to Korra (she even wanted to show that, but it was hard as all the avatar felt was peace and comfort). Nights. Nights were... good too. They would put a camp. Korra sometimes would start a fire. Somehow they always ended up putting their sleeping bags very close to each other. After few days into the vocation, they got used to occasional hand holding during the day, but the nights were different. They felt more intimate. And Korra was a little bit confused about that (in a good way though!).

Asami, similarly, enjoyed the nights. The days were always full of experience and in the evenings felt exhausted. Even though she very much enjoyed THAT kind of exhaustion. It was so nice to be able to have a good sleep. And she noticed that her sleep was much better when Korra was laying next to her in a closer proximity.

It was during the nights when one or the other "accidentally" reached out for the other's hand and hold it until the late morning.

And it was during the other nights that one or the other "accidentally" wrapped the other one in a gentile, fragile yet firm embrace. It was during the mornings that one or the other woke up and was too afraid to move so she accidentally wouldn't brake the fragile-yet-firm entanglement of the other. Somehow they often ended up sleeping in the spoon position...

If Asami was the first one to wake up and Korra would be the one to hold her, she would open her eyes, trail the holding hands with her eyes carefully, trying not to move a muscle and resisting the urge to fondle Korra's hands with hers. She would carefully inspect every pico-meter of the avatar's skin. She would watch the pattern of small skin patches, interrupted with a seemingly never-ending natural lines.

Often she would caught herself inspecting Korra's knuckles. The same ones that punches hot, burning fire. The same ones also may punch a gust of air - refreshing or deadly.  
>"<em>How many times were they scraped? How much blood had they seen? How many times was it hers? How many times did she needed to rise them to protect others? How many times did anybody else raised theirs to protect her?<em>" - She found herself trying to answer the last question - "_Not often enough__."_

Asami often inspected all irregularities on Korra's skin and then she thought if it could be scars from her previews fights, how did Korra get them, what kind of enemies she was fighting, did she got hurt and if so, how badly. A feeling started to emerge inside of her. She did felt something similar before, but it was different this time. It was stronger. It was like an oath. She wanted to protect Korra. Even if she was the 'little spoon' now, she wanted to protect Korra so that the avatar would not have to fight ever again.

"_But I guess this is impossible. The Avatar belongs to the world. And without her fights, she wouldn't be who she is. But still..._" - an image of Korra's glowing eyes in her father's arms emerged in front of her. And she could not control the urge to squeeze Korra's hands any more.

Korra woke up right after it. The edges of her lips lifted just slightly. After few more moments she opened her eyes. A back of a head with black shining hair lightly falling on one of Asami's shoulders was right in front of her. Korra could smell the engineer. She wanted to take a few deep breaths of the scent, but she didn't: "_Asami may have done this during her sleep. I better control myself so I wouldn't wake her up._" Korra closed her eyes again to better feel the body she was holding in her hands. She studied every breath Asami took. Every time Asami breathed in, her chest lifted. For that peak of a moment, Korra's hands could slightly feel Asami's diaphragm. Every time she exhaled, Korra's right thumb, the tip of her index finger would end up on Asami's lower ribs and the rest of her palm - on the engineer's stomach. Her right hand was stretched under Asami's neck.

Asami thought she felt Korra's smile. She also noticed that her breathing was a bit deeper and rarer. "_She's probably awake... Did I wake her..? Crap.__ I need to learn to better control myself._" She decided not to move and continued to investigate Korra's hands. She liked how the touching surface of the avatar hand increased when she breath in. She unconsciously tried to take deeper breaths. Asami closed her eyes again when she breathed in a little deeper than usual. She concentrated on Korra's left hand fingers. It felt like an incoming tidal wave. The thumb pressed to her breastbone. The tip of the index finger almost touching the base of her left breast. Just like the water of a tide comes and gently touches the beach sand. And just like that, it went back.

Korra noticed a change in Asami's breathing. "_Oh, shit. I woke her up._" Her eyes widened on this thought and her body tensed a bit, so slightly that even she didn't fell it.

"So... I guess you're awake too..." - Asami said after few minutes of hesitation. She felt that the light, blissful feeling that was brought by intimate yet almost inevident touch of Korra's hand on her stomach, was leaving her and a heavy one was falling onto her. She wanted to preserve the previous sense, but with her rational mind part, she knew she couldn't - the spirit world was too big and the vocation time was too short.

"Am...yeah..." - Korra answered sadly that this conscious shy intimacy will have to end - "sorry about that..." - she added with a slight move of her right hand fingers.

"You don't have to apologize for anything. I had a very good sleep." - Asami answered closing her eyes and trying to suck, to remember the soon-gone cautious touch of the person behind her.

But this happened every morning. The one who was holding the other started to apologize for doing so. And then the other one said that the first one have nothing to apologize for. It started to be their vacation ritual.


	2. Chapter 2

Their vocation ended fast. They walked though the portal back to the physical world just the same way as they did going though it to the spirit world - wordlessly, tightly-gently holding hands, with eyes full of love, care, devotion, sheer trust and hope. It was late evening - they planned to come back at this time just so that the shift won't be so radical as the time they shared in the spirit world was just like that - calm. Exciting, adventurous, full of emotions, yet still full of inner peace. And they did not want to fall into the whirlpool of city noise, masses, satomobile horns and strangers.

Although at that time Asami had her apartment in the city, she often went to air temple island. Both Asami and the airbenders felt that they grew up to be a family. So Asami and Korra without even talking about it went together to the island. Both of them still had their rooms there. Even clothes and tooth brushes never left the places where their owners had put them.

They walked to Asami's car and Korra took her staff out of the trunk. She looked at Asami a bit embarrassed: "_I think it would be faster if we'll fly with my glider...if you don't mind_"

Asami looked over her shoulder to Korra as she was looking for her things in the car. A smile light her face: "_I don't mind. But are you sure you can carry us both to the island? Maybe we can just take a boat and you could waterbend us there?_" - Asami enjoyed the idea of enfolding Korra during the flight, but she was worried that it might be a bit too much after this time of basically no bending or physical activity.

Korra wanted to feel Asami close. Of course Asami made a good point. Even though Korra was mostly in a good shape, there was no way to know how muchweaker she got during this vacation without workouts and avatar stuff. But she wanted to feel Asami close to her sooo badly... It was a conflict between inner desires and good judgement. But if they went on boat, maybe Asami could still be sitting next to her..? -

"_Yeah...you may be right. But I would suggest you to sit next to me - sometimes the waves can get pretty high and it might be a bumpy ride, so it's better that you would hold on to me. Just so...you know..._" - she felt herself blushing, choking, throat getting drier with every word - "_in case something unexpected happened, I would grab you and save._" - she started to realize how underrated of Asami's survival skills this might sound - "_Not that you can't take of yourself!_ - she added quickly - "_It's just that it's water, and I'm the avatar and a master waterbender so I think in this particular situation, it would be irresponsible from me not to_" - the choking increased as her mouth completely dried out - "_you know...take care of you._"

Asami could not keep her eyes from Korra and a tender smile appeared on her face. She though Korra was so cute and looked so innocent at this moment. She wanted to hold Korra. Probably she would have came up with similar excuse to hold Korra, but she was happy that it wasn't her who had to do this - "_Yes, of course. I would not want to fall out into the cold water - I don't take it as good as you - so You better prepare for a strong grip._"

A big happy smile illuminated Korra's face - "_Yeah, sure! No problem! Strong grip resistance applied!_"

Asami could not help but admire Korra. Her face, her personality, her whole being. And for the moment, she thought, that it wasn't just Korra's face that the smile illuminated, but the whole area they were at. "Could it be that the avatar's feelings reflect on the material world too..?" - Asami wondered quietly to herself. - "Whatever it is, it's beautiful." - she stood there admiring the view in front of her for a few moments - "No, it's more than that. It's wonderful. **She** is full of wonders."


	3. Chapter 3

They were here. Asami never let Korra go, holding her tight with both of her arms around Korra's waist and head nestled on her chest just below the neck. Korra wanted to go in circles just so she could prolong that moment - "_...but if I'll start to circle around the air temple, she'll definitely suspect something. Maybe I can take a longer road._" - she started to talk to herself. And with that last thought, her face changed from complacent to thoughtful - _"It's a bay, you stupid! There are no roads!_" - she angrily argued her own probable excuse.

Of course Asami noticed the change in Korra as her thoughts flew in her head. Even if Asami had her eyes closed, her left ear, even though placed not exactly on Korra's heart, heard every thought in Korra's mind through every heart beat - "_Is she plotting something? I hope she'll come up with something good to prolong this trip. Like..."_

"The water is a bit restless, so I will take the boat with an angle. Just to, you know... decrease the swinging and shaking." - Korra said trying to sound as compelling as she could. Deep inside she knew that Asami would understand that it's rubbish. With a little bit truth in it, but still rubbish. Asami has the brightest mind in the whole universe after all. Spirits, she's a genius - she'll never fall for this!

Asami smiled as a pure satisfaction started to burn inside her soul as she replied: "_Aye aye, captain. Whatever you think is the best for us to safely reach the island._" She knew it was just another excuse to procrastinate their landing but, hey, moments ago she was trying to come up with one of her own... so she's definitely not the one to judge. She's the one to enjoy. And with that she tightened her grip around Korra and pressed her head even tighter - the master of four elements herself said that this might be a bumpy ride, so she needs to get a good hold. Doesn't she...?

Korra felt relief with every word of Asami's answer. She did it again. She made up a totally-probably unbelievable argument and the most excellent mind in the world went with it. "Or did she just play along..? Had Asami any other motives..? Did she too wanted this 'cruise' to last longer than it needed to..?" - Korra again was in her thoughtful mode.

Asami giggled and said to herself: "Wow. Her mind must be be working at full power now... Even though we share this strong connection, in these situations she's so clueless. That's so cute!"

Asami tried to do giggle secretly but both of them were so aware of each other, that this immediately picked up by Korra as it was she who now talked to herself: "Oh crap. She's onto me. Got to be my normal self. ...whatever that might mean." - eyes rolled.

"_You know, this is probably the best boat trip I've ever had._" - Asami finally said something out loud. She didn't open her eyes or move any unnecessary muscle - just the needed ones to stay attached to Korra so 'she won't fall out'. - "_Reminds me a little of fast driving. If not the swinging, it might be just a bit more relaxing than driving._"

Korra was pleased as if she just ate few bowls of seaweed noodles with bowl of sea prune for desert. No, she was more pleased than that - "_Well, we could do this again sometime. If you would want to...relax...or get away from everything..._"

"_Like a momentarily vocation..?_"

"_Yeah, just like that._"

Warmth and peace enveloped them both. It seemed that they weren't boating. It felt more like they were gliding through the air with all the surroundings being gone and them existing in the never-ending vacuum full of them both, their feelings. And none of them even would have noticed even if Korra would have started to circle around the air temple. Which she did.


	4. Chapter 4

It took them 1 hour and 44 minutes to get from the harbour to the air temple island. Korra decided that it's time to finally tie the boat to the dock after she circled Aang's statute and the island for the eighth time - it started to look really awkward. Even for her.

After the boat stopped, Asami unwillingly started to release her grip. She did it slowly, memorizing every second her right arm enclasped Korra's left side upper abdomen and middle back, while her left arm surrounded Korra from her middle back to her abdomen. Asami tried to seize the touch of her shoulders to Korra's lower chest, part of her right breast and the inner side of her crankweb. The touch of her neck to Korra's right upper chest. She wanted to remember the sound of Korra's lungs every time she breathed in and every time she breathed out. She wanted to memorize it all into her mind even if it meant her ideas for new air-planes would be lost for the lack of space in her brains.

Korra 'parked' the boat to a stop next to air temple docks. She took a deep breath: "Well, i guess there's that then." - she said to herself, not the first time talking to herself in her mind today.

"_We're here. Safe and sound as promised!_" - she tried to sound cheerful to Asami, but her soul was sad for this whole trip, and the whole vocation to end. This was the end of all that time, of the time with no worries and only Asami in it. After they get out of this boat - it's back to reality. The real reality they so successfully ran away from right until this moment.

"_Thank you for taking such a good care of me._" - Asami replied softly her head still slightly touching Korra's top-of-the-chest-just-bellow-her-neck.

"_You're very welcome. Anytime. It was my pleasure._" - Korra could not decide which one of those to choose as a proper replay, so she just spilled out all of them. Smiling as it was becoming a norm for her being together with Asami.

Only Asami's palms were still resting on Korra's right side of her middle back and her abdomen. Such an unexpected and very wordy answer got Asami a little bit in a flat spin, but she managed to gather herself up quickly and giggled - "She's so cute!" - yet another unspoken compliment was born.

Korra, seeing Asami's giggle, answered with one of her own - "She's so lovely!" - a similar thought went through her head.

Korra stood up and jumped out of the boat tying it to a pole. She gave Asami a hand and they both were now standing facing each other on the footbridge. Even after spending few weeks, they still could not get enough sight of each other.

"_I guess everybody's asleep, so we should keep it quiet._" - Korra said unconsciously taking Asami's palm in hers and starting to walk towards their dorms.

Asami nodded. She was half step behind Korra and her lip corners were slightly lifted - she could not fully hold in the joy of the unconscious move that Korra just made.

They did not talk about any 'sleeping arrangements'. None of them gave it time to think about that - none of it was left after being so engage into one another during their boat trip. Only when Korra walked Asami to her room did it stuck them that this was an unresolved matter. None of them wanted to spend the night far from the other. Even if they did sleep most of their lives without each other, doing this now seemed too weird, unusual and unaccustomed and even wrong. But they also did not have the courage to speak about this out loud.

"_Soooo...this is your room..._" - Korra was the one to start the uncomfortable and 'caught-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place' type of conversation (at least that was what she thought about it then).

"_Yes, this is it_..." - Asami followed in the same note. Her eyes were wondering from the floor to Korra's toes, to her face.

"_Soooo...yeah...I-guess-you're-tired-and-want-to-sleep-so-I-leave-you-to-it-then-and-I'll-see-you-in-the-morning-then-have-a-good-sleep-good-night._" - Korra spilled all the words as is if they were hot lava stones in her mouth. She then gave Asami a strange looking grin and marched to her room.

Asami was there standing with her lips open and some words suck half-way in her throat. It was too unexpected, and _she_ ran too fast. Could she shout to her? No. First of all, she would wake everybody in the dorms by doing that; second, Korra was gone already. And Asami was just left there standing. Alone. And puzzled, lost, confused and unable to comprehend both what and, more importantly, **_why_** happened.

Korra walked away without turning around. She thought, that if she would look at Asami any longer, she would not be able to walk away and she wasn't sure if continuing their 'vocational sleeping arrangements' was 'appropriate'. She wanted to. Darn did she wanted to! She was shaking from all those emotions that was filling her now. Was she stupid for not talking to Asami about it? Maybe she too wanted to continue their 'together time' at least for the night. Asami **_did_** say that she had very good sleep every morning Korra apologized for holding her, her hand, taking in her scent, for not waking up her, for, maybe, being a bit too close... So maybe Asami would have wanted to continue their new tradition..? But how could Korra ask this..? ""_Hey, want to continue sleeping together even though there's nothing here that you can't take care of yourself?!" - like this could ever work!_" - Korra scolded herself again.

She walked into her room. Closed the doors behind her. Opened her window and took a deep breath: "_Nice work, Korra._" - she said out loud gazing to the dazzling light of the spirit portal - "_Things were so much simpler in there... I miss that already..._".

She ended up standing there half an hour before at least trying to go to sleep.

Asami entered her room, closed the door and put her bag on the floor - _"Well, I guess it can't be helped. Tomorrow we definitely would have to talk._" - just as Korra, she too found herself talking loudly to herself - "_I'd better try to get some good sleep then. Although this will definitely be much harder now that Korra is in the other room..."_ - she heave a sight.

She felt a little bit left. A memory of the time, when nobody knew where Korra was came back to her - the feeling, she did not want to experience ever ever again. She shacked her head - "_Away with the negative reminiscence! Korra is just few meters away. I know exactly where she is and how she is. It's nothing like that time!_" She nodded to herself, changed and went to bed - tomorrow then.

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><p><span>But her sleep didn't last...didn't came even...<span>_..._..._..._..._..._..._..._..._..._..._..._..._

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"_Can't sleep?"_ - Asami asked Korra while approaching her sitting at the gazebo. The moon was still high in the sky and the city lights reflected in the water as if billions of starts where dancing therein.

"_Not exactly..."_ - answered Korra throwing a quick glance at the appearing figure and moving her eyes back at the city with avatar's Aang sculpture on the side. It wasn't usual for her not to trace Asami with her eyes.

"_Are you ok? What's on your mind? Tell me."_ - Asami said taking Korra's palm in hers and squeezing it gently.

Korra looked at their hands. An inner shiver went through her spine from the bottom of her feet-nails to the tips of her hair and back. Some of the shiver settled in her heart and it felt as if it wasn't beating, but more like bouncing - like a tennis ball before the player makes a serve. - "_It's..."_ - the words stuck in her throat as falling giant boulders in an arm-lengths opening. It seemed that not even the air could pass through it.

Asami never took her eyes from Korra. Never even moved a muscle - she new Korra would feel it. Staying still, giving her encouraging looks and waiting - that was the strategy. She knew she had to wait. Korra would come back. Korra would talk.

But Korra just looked at their hands with the boulder in her throat. She even forgot how to breath. She was concentrated on the words she wanted to say, probably even needed to say. But she couldn't. They were suck. Somewhere along the way.

Eventually her body took over - due to the lack of oxygen her body started to breathe on his own ignoring all the cautious thoughts Korra might be having. "Thank Raava for survival instincts and so-called lizard brain!" - Asami thought still standing and holding Korra's hand as a statute.

Finally, after sixteen minutes Korra raised her eyes to look at Asami: the inner corners of her eyebrows were lifted, eyes full of sincerity and genuine care, concern. "She kind of looks like that time..." - Korra thought remembering when Asami took care of her after that. The left corner of her lip lifted slightly.

This change didn't underwent unnoticed by Asami. She slightly smiled at Korra and gave another gentile squeeze on her hand - "You can tell me anything. Absolutely anything. You know that, right? I won't go anywhere." - she said in her thoughts giving the squeeze.

Korra started to take a deep breath. Closed her eyes in midway. Locked the breath for few seconds. Started to exhale. Opened her eyes midway. She wanted to look calm.

Asami looked more concerned now. Korra started to look very serious, maybe even portentous. Her grip on Korra's hand increased.

Keeping her voice as calm as she could while her heart was bouncing as a basketball ball during a final game, Korra started: "_I utterly enjoyed our time in the spirit world._" - she lowered her eyes to the holding hand again.

Asami did not say anything. She saw how hard it was for Korra to talk. She knew better than to interrupt her now that Korra finally gathered herself enough to be able to make words leave her.

Korra took few deep breaths again: "_I know we never talked about it in the spirit world and we never got the chance before and this is only the first night we came back. But..._" - deep breath - closing eyes midway - starting to exhale - open eyes midway - eyes looking straight at Asami's eyes - _"The touches we shared, our 'sleeping arrangements'... I thought that this would express the growth of our relationship. Maybe it did. But we never talked about it. "_ - deep breath in - though to self: "need. to. stay. calm." - deep exhale - _"I didn't felt that we needed to name it somehow but now that we're back, I don't know how to feel..._" - no matter how she tried. Her voice started to quiver a little. Just a little, but Asami felt it very clearly.

Asami's face changed from concern to straight. Her worried heart started to find a little solace. The initial thought that it was something very bad, something, that she might not be able to fix or help to fix began to disappear. Her hand released some pressure on Korra's hand just to give her a reassuring squeeze. She raised Korra's hand so she would be able to take it in both of hers.

Asami smiled a bit - _"You know, I utterly enjoyed our little vocation time too. I was waiting for three years for it._" - her lip corners were up just slightly.

Her voice sounded warm and inviting. Korra felt as it enveloped all of her starting from her palm that was securely hidden between Asami's palms. The tension she felt before eased a bit. Her breathing evened just as her heart started to beat again instead of bouncing through the field. - "_You have a very beautiful writing style. I loved your letters. And I felt that I was waiting for this"_ - she squeezed her palm - "_for a long time too. I know that it's just few weeks that this started but I feel I was with you for way longer - maybe even more than three years, ever since that Red lotus stuff happened. And I know for sure that I don't ever want to be away from you. I want this"_ - she made another squeeze -_ "to grow and last - like the Tree of Time. I know that it might be out of blue, rushed or silly, but I really feel that I found my soulmate - You. And I don't want to be a halfpeeled sea prune ever again._" - Asami giggled softly. Looked at the palm she was so protectively holding and raised it to her heart - "_I want to be fully realized Avatar and fully realized Korra. And I don't think that would be possible without you. You make me so much stronger and being next to you I want to be better every minute._"

"_I thought you didn't needed to give words to what it is..._" - Asami teased a little as one corner of her lips rose. She hopped to put Korra at ease just a little bit more still holding her palm next to her heart. Korra furrowed her eyebrows just a bit - this remark did not reach its goal at all. Her heart started to beat like eight note - at some corner of her head, she was glad it wasn't the sixteenth note.

Asami noted the change in Korra and quickly started to correct the situation: "_I'm sorry. I just wanted to say... I never would wanted to go into the spirit world with anybody else. Or anywhere to have a vacation. Just You. These years with you away was so hard. And I was glad that there was plenty of work to do in the Republic city. I wanted so badly to come and visit you, but I know you needed your time and I hoped that you'll come when you're ready. To Republic city._" - her voice hushed - "_To me."_ - she started to push the palm in her palms even closer to her chest even though there was no "closer" - _"I hadn't had such a good and easy sleep in years as I did with you in the spirit world with the "accidental" hugs. I care so deeply for you. I cared for long time. I didn't know what kind of feelings it is. You became my best friends so fast that I lost the moment I started to care for you more. But I don't think that I realized the my feelings before our time in the spirit world._" - Korra's eyes changed. They were filled with joy, cautious happiness, understanding, gratitude, love, wonder. For some time she thought that hearing this would calm her, but know she knows how wrong she was - her heart switched to beat 36th notes - and they don't even exist! Asami continued: "_While I'm next to you or even when I just think about you, all the loneliness and worries disappears. You may be right, it might be out of blue, rushed or silly, but I also feel that I was with you for more than just these few weeks._"

Korra's eyes widened - she didn't thought that she gave her any time to think about the possibility for Asami to feel the same. Or did she..? She remembered how well they communicate without any words, how they are able to feel each other so very well. It did make sense that both of them would feel the same.

Korra put her free left palm on Asami's that were still trying to push Korra's right palm right through the sternum straight to her heart as if it would make Korra closer. Much closer. After few moments Korra freed her right palm and hugged Asami in a strong, firm, gentle longing embrace - "_Let's get married..._" - she whispered softly into Asami's ear.

Asami's eyes widened. Heard started dancing like volleyball ball. She tightened her grip around Korra's waist, her eyes closed, nose dived into Korra's collarbone, face was coloured with the widest smile she had since... no, she never had such a wide smile. Not even when she had build her first engine alone, her first satomobile. Not even when she saw Korra after all those years. Those years when she was building imaginary friend, friendship, relationship. Those years, when she thought she was going crazy - "_Anytime._" - she just managed to answer almost whispering to Korra's ear and trying to drown herself in Korra's short hair.

The two of them did not manage to move. They just were there. Standing. Holding each other in eternal embrace. Finally. The world around them disappeared. Even the ground they were standing on vanished. For Korra it was only Asami that existed in that moment. For Asami - it was only Korra. Their hearts slowed down. It seemed that they even stopped at some point. And restarted again. Beating in unison. As if they had one heart. One heart that was beating in their two bodies.

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><p>Note: while writing this my player played Ben Howard - Promise. Seemed very 'in place'.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

It was dawn already, when Korra and Asami broke their embrace and decided to go to sleep. To do that in separate rooms as their heart already beat in the same frequency, as in a way, they already were united and no wall would ever separate them.

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Next evening they decided to have the wedding in one week - enough time to prepare and inform everybody important to them. Each had to do their share of preparation work outside the wedding arrangements (they had responsibilities after all, so they couldn't just ditch them and make a run away wedding. They were responsible. Korra at least tried to be responsible in that area - she did had a great teacher by her side, you know...)

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Asami insisted to have their wedding at the Southern Water Tribe. Although Republic city started to be Korra's home and it was home for Asami, she wanted to be it special for Korra. She wanted to experience Southern traditions, wanted to grow them a bit on her and what's better way to do that than a wedding?! And she also wanted Katara to be there for Korra (although before she thought about the strange feeling that might emerge in Katara watching her husband in the former life, marring...). The wedding ceremony was a bit different in the Southern Water Tribe. There was no ceremony official, only the chief, who's only duty was to pronounce the couple wed after each of them said their wows and drank seaweed tea of a single cup they made together beforehand. The cup could be either made from ice, bone or stone, but the material must be local. The cup that Korra and Asami made for their wedding was from stone. The ceremony was performed in the centre of the village. The area had three circles. The outer circle was dedicated to the guests. The second circle symbolized the eternal love and had carved waves - symbols of struggles and disagreements that the eternal love will have to overcome to be eternal. The third and the smallest circle was right in the middle of the second one - that is where the marrying couple needed to stand. The chief was standing just outside it.

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Their wedding evening was perfect. It seemed as if the stars and galaxies also wanted to join their celebration - the sky was pitch black with distant worlds shining their blessing on them. It looked even more miraculous when the dim light bounced from the fresh snow all around the ceremonial ground. It was a happy dance of tiny twinkles.

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Asami and Korra arrived on Naga to the ceremonial ground. Korra hoped of Naga and helped Asami to get down. Korra looked into the emerald eyes and she felt a tsunami wave of warmth, love and happiness flushed her right to the toe nails and back to her hair tip with some of it leaving through her ears. And for a moment there she could not breath and she crippled a bit as her knees went weak. She saw all her future, all the world in those two small green 'gates to the universe'.

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Asami stood next to Korra while the latter one was almost literally drowning in the depth of the green fields of Asami's eyes. It wasn't until Naga gave Korra a poke, that she could remember what was happening **_now_**. Korra looked around and realized she was at her and Asami's wedding. At some point, Asami found it very adorable - Korra even managed to zone out at the wedding. The day, that should be scared and nervous. But it wasn't for any of them. It felt more than right. It felt as everything was finally going into their places. Was it strange? They hadn't seen each other for three years. Then they meet, spend few weeks fighting a crazy lady. Then they spend few weeks in the spirit world and a week later - they are here - at **_their_** wedding. When you put it that way - it does sound crazy. No. It's not crazy. It might be unusual. But it's not crazy. Or wrong. It's good. More than good. It's the best. It's the way it should be.

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With all the glitter around, bellow and above them, Asami squeezed Korra's hand: "_Let's go. I have something important to tell you. And I want everybody to hear that. Especially you._"

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Korra's eyes light up with joy. But then immediately it changed to a one-sided smile: "_I have something important I want to tell You too. And I want something important to hear from my father also._" - she now could not hold her wide faced smile that was probably the strongest light emitter at that moment. - "_Shall we then?_"- She took Asami by hand and they stepped into the second circle - the circle of eternal love.

.

Korra tried not to stare at her bride, who glided through the snow as if she was an airbender - "twinkle-toes." - Korra said to herself - "that's what Toph would call her." - and a small giggle escaped her.

Asami looked at her both amused and confused. She leaned a bit to Korra and whispered to her ear: "_later, you'll have to tell me what's there so funny to you._".

Korra brushed her thumb through Asami's hand. Squeezed it as hard as she could without causing Asami pain. And another tsunami flushed her inside. She wondered how long will this last. These strong waves every time she touches Asami...

.

Few more steps and they are there. The smallest inner circle. The circle of union, merging. They stopped and turned to face each other. Hands holding each other. The circle wasn't big, so they were standing very close - just few centimetres from each other's bodies. This proximity might seem unconformable in front of parents on other occasion, but not this time.

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They intertwined fingers. Their hearts was beating simultaneously - each could feel that. It was Korra's time. Korra's time to speak. She took few deep breaths - not that she was scared. She did not want to forget to say anything, so she needed to focus.

"_Asami. In front of my family and all of my tribe, I want to say how much I love You. You not just made me a better avatar, but You made me a better me, Korra. You inspire me to do my best, to seek. You taught me to see light and Your love taught me to accept myself. I feel much stronger next to You. And it might be that everything I say sounds very selfish, but it is so - I love You because of my selfishness. Because You are everything I am not, everything I lack. Without You I feel like a tore book, like a polar dog-bear without it's fur. You are my water in the desert, my moon spirit, my ocean. You are my strength, my life force. Without you, I'm like South Pole without snow, ocean without fish, an airbender with chains. You saved me more than ones in more ways than any history book can describe. And I can just hope that during our life together, I will be able to show my gratitude, my love. That I will be able to be by Your side the way You were by mine. I promise to cherish You and never forget how much I love You. And I promise to make sure that You won't forget that too. I love You, Asami Sato. And in this circle of eternal love and unity, I vow to love You forever in this life and all the others to come._

As if reassuring her words, Korra gave a firm squeeze to Asami's palms.

_ ._

Tears started to gather in Asami's eyes. A small, almost invisible smile grace her face. Korra managed to notice it. Asami did not know and even did not have a clue what Korra would say. For few moments all she could do was just stand there and be overwhelmed with the emotions that Korra's words rose in her. Only couple minutes later she remembered that it was her turn to say her vows:

"_Korra. You were so lucky to speak first. I was preparing for this so long, but know I forgot what I wanted to say to You._ - only after those words escaped Asami's mouth did she remembered how the vows should start. She felt bewildered right away. How could she screw up this?! She's not stupid to screw up on things like memorizing few lines! And then she felt Korra's warm glare and rubbing thumbs reassuring her that everything is fine. She took a moderately deep breath and began anew. Well, kind of anew -_ In front of all Your family, all of your tribe and our friends, I too want to say how much I love You. You said, that I inspire you and make You better, but You are the one who does the same for me. You always want to protect others without thinking about yourself. You always try to do what's right and good. You push Yourself to unthinkable limits, some of which even didn't existed before You crossed them. Every day I stand beside You, I feel honoured to be there - by Your side. You showed me worlds that I didn't know existed before. You tought me things that no book or school can teach. If I'm everything You're not, than You are everything I'm not. You are the best Korra and the best avatar there can and will be - no offend to Your past lives and those, that are yet to come. I think that You are the incarnation of everything that's good in this and the spirit world. You said, that I'm Your water, Your ocean, Your fish, Your moon, but You too are my... ...everything. My muse, my oil, my gas, my source. I promise that our relationship would be my never-ending, most beautiful ultimate creation. I promise to be by Your side and to never let You feel alone. I promise to remind You how strong we are together. And I promise to never let You forget how much You love me. And how much I love You. The love that Wan Shi Tong has for his library does not even come close to the feeling I have for You. And I promise that every day with You I will fuel it to infinity so it would stretch through lifetimes. If Your love is selfish, then mine is too. And I promise to do everything to keep both You and myself so selfish, that our love will meet not boundaries. I love You, Korra of the Southern Water tribe. And in this circle of eternal love and unity, I vow to love You forever in this life and all the others to come._

.

Now Korra too had tears forming in her eyes. She never heard anything like that. Never imagined to hear anything like that. They both tightened their hand muscles: all of them from the crankweb, to the fingertips - somehow even the nails seemed tightened too. But it wasn't a bad tight, it was a good one. It was because they wanted to squeeze each other in such an embrace, that both of them were afraid it would make eyes pop out and, eventually, killing the other. And none of them wanted that to happen.

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Tonraq smiled proudly watching them and hearing their vows. He took Korra's left palm, then Asami's right palm, placed them on top of his right hand and covered both with his left palm:

_"Your spirits had found each other. Your journey might have been long and bumpy, but that's only makes it more significant. And memorable. Be sure to never forget how You got here. And what You just said to each other in this holy symbol of fusion. Be sure to be there for one another, although I already know that You've done this already _- he made a crooked smiled -_ I usually have a lot more to say, but You already said everything to each other that I wanted to say. Let me just add, that I could not be more proud and happy for both of You: my daughter and my new daughter. _ - Tonraq turned to take the cup Asami and Korra made. It was filled with traditional wedding drink - dried seal heart 'tea'. (It was one of reasons why Korra tried to talk out Asami of having the wedding here. But Asami was persistent. And prepared herself - she went to a butcher in Republic city during the week and brought home raw seal meat - her dinner. To say that Korra was highly impressed and fell even deeper for Asami seeing at what length the later was prepared to go for her, would be an understatement...). With his left hand, Tonraq put the cup to Korra's and Asami's palms that he was holding in his right. And continued his speech - _With all the tribe, Your family, your friends and spirits watching, I decree You wife and wife. May Your life together after this point be as full of love, as it was before. And let the our spirits guide You._ - he finished his allocution. And then suddenly added - _And having the avatar, this shouldn't be hard to do..._ - he gave Asami a wink. One that wasn't unnoticed not only by Korra, but all the gathered one, who, at that moment, started to giggle. Making Korra just blush a little more and smile with them at her father's remark. Asami smiled sheepishly to Tonraq and then looked at Korra: "she looks kind of as i feel. Glad to see that that 'not alone' thing is already working." - she thought to herself not noticing that she found it quite amusing and smiled just wider.

.

What is left to 'seal the deal' was to drink from the cup. They didn't manage to decide which one would be the first to take a sip. They considered to use straws, but then half of the cup and drinking meaning would be lost - the second one needed to drink at the same spot the first one did - the ultimate symbol of sharing and unity. Korra thought, that as the one, whose origins is actually in the Southern water tribe, she should do it first. Asami argued, that she should be first of the exact opposite reason... And now there they were - two sips away from being officially married. Their first disagreement manifesting itself on their wedding day. During their wedding ceremony. They looked at each other's eyes. Looked at Tonraq who, by that time seemed a bit confused that it takes so long for the girls to take the last gulp. Then looked at each other again. Stood side by side facing their family and friends. Than Korra, with Asami's hands still on the cup, took a sip. After her Asami, with Korra's hands still on the cup took a sip at the exact same place were Korra's lips were just seconds ago. They turned to face each other again. Looked at Tonraq who didn't even try to restrain his smile: "_Still couldn't keep the sheet clean and stick to the traditions fully..._"

Asami and Korra, now finally officially married, united, fused, merged, amalgamated, coalesced... ...just graced at each other amused: how could they..?!


	6. Chapter 6

After the ceremony when the newly-wed Korra and Asami walked out of the ceremonial circle, Bolin started to shout: "_Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!_".

His chants spread like a wildfire (which was kind of ironic, because, you know, they are in the South Pole) and now everybody is started to shout: "_Kiss!Kiss! Kiss!_" Asami and Korra were flustered. Only then they remembered, that they had their vocation, engagement and even got married, but they still didn't had their first kiss. Should they do it now? Here? Will it be as special as it could-should be? Maybe they need to wait until they are only by themselves to have this miraculous moment...

Korra looked at her father - not only was the fact that they did not share a lip touch with each other that was causing her to doubt the suitability of this act in this situation, but also the thought of doing this in front of her parents for the first time with her love, her wife-who-did-not-have-time-to-be-girlfriend, felt...weird. To say the least. But she got surprised - not only was her father, the chief of the tribe, chanting together with the crowd, but he actually made hand signs for everybody to shout louder, harder, whatever-er, so that the newly-wed would feel more encouragement to kiss.

But they didn't. Asami and Korra looked at each other with puzzled eyes still firmly holding hands as if they were glued together. None of them knew what to do. Should they do it..? They are officially legally entitle to kiss each other now. But first kiss in front of everybody...

Korra managed to squeeze a sheepish smile. She draw her look from Asami to, well, everybody and started to rumble: "_Well...um...you know...we are...um...we just...you know..._" - She stopped for a moment as if she had seen Raava herself. And there it was. The saving grace of an excuse! - _"I believe I would speak for both of us saying, that we are overwhelmed by the fact that just seconds before we got married and that all of you were present to share this joyful moment with us. But as you know, following the traditions, we just had not the most tasteful drink, so I would rather spare Asami and myself the 'pleasure' of tasting the tiger seal heart again. I can promise you, that we'll share more than one kiss. After all, this was one of the reason I married this wonderful girl - so that I would be the only one who ever kissed her._" - she looked at Asami. Eyes filled with joy, satisfaction, love and even pride. Was it because of the kind-of-truth excuse she was telling?

Asami failed to keep up her fond smile which was later enriched with one raised brow to which Korra answered by shrugging her shoulders.

The crowd went quiet. Only and "Awwwww" broke the silence when Korra finished. It was Bolin. Apparently he found Korra's marrying excuse very cute and could not hold himself (not that he tried...).

The celebration lasted until the morning. There was a lot of dancing by the traditional water drums music. Asami even learned the traditional newly-wed dance (if she went as far as eating raw meat, the dance was as easy as busting few triad members). During the traditional dance Asami's and Korra's right hands were tight together with blue dyed strap of skin. The dance involved them performing synchronous movements. The difficulty was that at certain intervals, the musicians would start to improvise and then the pair would need to adapt accordingly still being in perfect synch. The improvisations would increase in length as the dance goes and at the end, they would last several minutes. Gladly, by this time Asami and Korra got to know each other very well and were able to feel every slight change in each others face muscles (all of the 43 of them). In addition, there were this indescribable feeling of each other where each eye or slightest skin contact gave the other all the needed information. So this part was actually very easy for them. And they enjoyed it so much, that forgot the event and the occasion the dance was happening for. They didn't noticed how the music stopped and continued to dance. About 16 minutes everybody was staring at them with surprise while they continued to move synchronously to the music only they could hear. It didn't seemed as a dance. It was more a completion. A verification of their suitability (that was the whole point of this dance after all), a possibility to tune into each other (but they already did that earlier at the gazebo when both of their hearts started to beat as one).

They stopped eyes looked at each other just like the tied right hands. Their left hands was holding each other too even without the blue skin stripe. Their breaths were shallow and frequent. Traces of sweat could be seen on their faces. Even if they both had impressive stamina, this dance took way more than any of the fight they had. And it wasn't because it was long. It was because they were involved in it fully: body, soul, mind. Every cell was dancing, communicating with all the other cells in the nearby body.

Korra was the first to brake from Asami's eyes. She looked around and Asami did the same. They saw everyone staring at them with their mouth open (Bolin's jaw felt the lowest). Then they stopped at Tonraq. He and Senna probably were the only ones with their mouths shut and faces, bodies proud. He stepped closer to them, put his hands on both of their shoulders: "_Now that's some dance! I don't think anybody had done the full dance, not to mention the extension of it! You truly are each other's missing pieces! I wonder, Asami, if you have some avatar powers Korra lacks..._" - he took them in his strong bear hug for few seconds. Then released and addressed the attendance: "_Now everybody, let's celebrate! Don't forget that this marriage is rejoicing for all of the tribe!_". He released the newly-wed couple and went to his wife.

The musicians started to play traditional celebration music and everybody started to dance. Asami looked around with astonishment. The traditional dances and music was nothing she have ever seen. People dancing in groups, circles, lines. It looked like a chaos, but then she managed to draw patterns in their movements. "_You know, I did my research while preparing for this, but no book could ever prepare me for this..._" - she said to Korra while looking around body pressed to the avatar. Everybody was dancing around them.

Korra found this little frightened wonder very irresistible and sweet. She started to unbind the blue strap from their right hands and, after success, she pulled her hands around Asami in a tight embrace reassuring, that she would not let anything happen to Asami and that these people won't trample her: "_This isn't anything alike to what you can find in Republic city, huh? Well, wedding and birth are seen as the biggest celebrations in the family. And here the fellow tribesmen are considered to be members of the family. Very big family. But actually, if you'll ask me, I think they just like to find any excuse to go crazy, dance and sing._"

Asami put her head on Korra's shoulder, hands on her waist, closed her eyes: "_I like it. Very much._"

Korra followed her and shut her eyes too. Once again the world around them started to fade. First the spectacle. Then the sounds. At some point, the trembling ice bellow their feet vanished too.

It was Katara's touch that brought them back. "_Can I talk to you?_" Both Asami and Korra automatically assumed that the woman was talking to Korra. The avatar looked questionably to Asami and she answered with a nod. "_No, I want to speak with both of you._" - Katara specified. The couple looked surprised, but followed the old master, the former wife of, well, kind-of-Korra.

They sat at the table each close to one another, yet Asami was further from Katara than Korra.

"_You know, when Aang and I were hiding in the Fire nation, he went to school._" - Katara stopped for a while then a smile-turned-into-laugh came - "_Toph once made a good observation: he had craziest adventures when he was alone._" - it looked as if Katara drifted to her past for a moment. To the time, when she was with her friends, training, saving and changing the world. Having fun, having life lessons. The time when they were together. Strangely, it was the best time - after the war they all were too busy to get together for a longer time...

"_Anyway. Aaang came back one day to our cave we were hiding at that time and declared that he wanted to teach the Fire nation kids how to dance. Apparently this was a forbidden "thing" at that time. Sokka, of course objected with all this might._" - Katara laughed again - "_Too bad for him, that nobody listened. And we end up having a music-dance party. Aang showed these kids how to express themselves, how to be free. I must say, he was quite popular with the Fire nation girls at his class. Yet he asked me to dance. I didn't know how, so he said to just follow his lead and start by some water bending moves. So I did. Everybody ended looking at us much like at you today. Except, that we stopped together with the music everybody could hear!_" - Katara laughed and after the laughing sound faded, she took palms of each women. She switched her glances from Korra to Asami - "_I must admit that no matter all the fighting we did, we too were sweating. It was a great party! Before it was ended by the head of the school, that is. But despite that, Aang managed to reach his goal - he showed them what it is to be free. And they helped us to escape._"

The women finished speaking, but it felt, as if she wanted to say something more, so the couple stayed silent.

"_Next time we danced in front of people was the same dance that you did just now. By that time we knew each other for ten years and we knew what is happening with each other even if we were separated by long distances._" - the respected water bending master tightened her grip around each of the palms in her hands and looked at Korra - "_Your father does not have all the information. Aang and I managed to finish this dance._" - she again looked at both Korra and Asami - "_But even we didn't take it that far as you just did._" - Katara now addressed Asami - "_I think that I should have known you in your previous life. And I feel, that You have been by the avatar's side ever since the beginning. I must admit, that seeing the reincarnation of my love marrying again hurts a little, but it also makes me very happy to know that you, Korra, found love that not many are blessed with. And, like I said, I believe, that you, Asami, was by the avatar's side for many lifetimes before. I might just hope, that when my time will pass, I too would be able to be at your presence._" - she squeezed their hands harder and gave to each of them a deep, penetrating gaze- "_And I'm talking about both of you._"

Neither Korra nor Asami knew what to say. Katara's words reached so deep each of them. Asami remembered a glance of thought that it might be hard on Katara to see Korra's wedding. Even though Korra was Korra, she still was Aang in her previous life. And Asami doubted that Katara could ever forget that. Might this be the reason Asami now felt so emotional? Now - after getting the blessing of the former wife of the avatar, of Korra's former life.

Asami stood and enfolded the woman in the tightest embrace she thought was appropriate and healthy.

A tear formed on the corners of Korra's eyes: "_Thank You, Sifu Katara. That means a lot. For both of us._"

Katara's eyes widened at the word "sifu" even when she was hugged by Asami. But after a moment, her look released into the soft and loving as it was. Maybe even more: "_Your welcome, pupils._" Korra joined the hug.

After few more moments Katara said, that she wanted to go to sleep: "_I'm not that young any more when I danced with your previous life, you know... Good night you two. I wish you two all the best. But don't feel strangers and come visit me more - I like having you around._"

Both Asami and Korra bowed to Katara in respect. "_We will. We promise._" - Asami added.


	7. Chapter 7

After Katara was out of sight, Korra looked at Asami with twinkles in her eyes. Asami new that some kind of offer will came out in just a mome...

"_You wanna get out of here?_" - Korra asked excited.

And there it was!

"_You sure..? We ditched one wedding. You sure we can do that with this one too? Not to mention that this is ours..._"

"_It is **ours** that is why we can do whatever we feel like. So? What'd you say?_" - Korra looked hopefully at Asami as curiosity began to overtake the latter one.

"_Maybe we at least need to tell your parents? You said it yourself that the tribe is a big family. And your family is... well, your father is the chief. Kind of like the father of all fathers. So we need at least tell him that we're leaving..._"

Korra rolled her eyes. She wasn't very happy with the rationale Asami gave. But she knew that the genius mind was right. This celebration was for them. Well, for all of them, but in **their** honour. So telling at least her father seemed the right thing to do.

"Fine._ I'll go and tell him. You stay here._"

It was strange for Asami to be taken care for, but she enjoyed it, and, if she was true to herself, she definitely very easy could get use to it. And by that time, the curiosity had completely over taken her. She loved the feeling of kindly unknown.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

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Korra returned to Asami after several minutes.

"_My dad gave us his blessings once again so we're good._"

Asami was agazed: "_His blessing?! What are you planning to do that your father felt he needed to give his blessing for?_"

Ups. Korra felt she told too much: "_Am...Nothing...much...nothing much...!_" - she felt she needed to switch her tactics - _"Besides, you basically told in front of everybody that you trust me without any reservations. So ..._"

And here Asami cut her: "_So you will start to play the 'wife card' so soon?!_" - Asami said with one eyebrow a little raised, hands crossed on her chest.

Suddenly Korra was standing pop-eyed. It took a while for Asami to grasp what she just said, but after she did, she was mirroring Korra, hands fallen on the table. "Wife". That was true. But it was the first time any of them pronounced it out loud. That word echoed in both of their heads. It took three minutes for the words to settle down in some part of the brain and their eyes to come back to their sockets.

"_Well, if that what'll take, then yes. Yes, I will play the 'wife card', wife._" - Korra replied softy, proudly, and happy as a polar dog bear playing in the snow, with a little emphasis on the 'wife' word.

Both of them were smiling fondly at each other. It still felt strange, but it was the right kind of strange.

"_Now c'mon. Let's take Naga and get out of here, my wife_." - Korra might get used to that word very quickly...

"_Well, you promised to take care of me, so I will trust you, my wife._" - Asami enjoyed it no less than Korra did.

They took each other by hand and walked to Naga. And then - took off to a Korra-only-knows direction.


	8. Chapter 8

They rode silently for eleven minutes. Asami pressed closely to Korra - no air allowed between them.

"_Korra..._" - Asami started cautiously almost whispering. If there was any additional wind, her words would have been lost in it. Her eyes closed as she concentrated feeling the body in front of her.

"_Yes..?_" - Korra wondered what caused this. And she hoped to hear the answer soon.

"_Do you think that Katara was right? ... _

_About me being present in your previous lives..._"

"_Hm..._" - Korra didn't know what to answer. This was a tough one. And she didn't have her previous lives to ask them if there was someone who might have been Asami. Raava..? Could she help..? - "_I don't know. I can't ask them, sorry._" - the loss of her connections to the previous avatars still hurt - "_But even if I could, I don't know if they could answer. I mean, I'm nothing like Aang. Even though we are the same soul, we are quite different. It might be that in your previous lives you also were different from what you are now..._" - she silenced trying to gather her thoughts - "_But I sure hope that my previous lives had you by their side. It's selfish, but without you their lives should have been much harder than with you in them._"

Asami opened her eyes and lifted her head: "_Why are you so sure about that? You just said it that even if the soul is the same, the personalities in different lifetimes vary a lot..._"

"_Well, yes. But I'm sure that the most important part, the core is still the same. I can't imagine you being Azulon... Can you? Can you imagine yourself slaughtering the whole nation? Or oppressing others?_"

"_Of course not! ..._

_But still... He was friends with avatar Roku at first, wasn't he..? It was only after Roku left that he became this crazy obsessed monster... And he later even kind of regretted what he did reminiscing about his days with Roku..._" - and here Asami thought not about herself. She remembered her father. Her loving, caring father who got consumed by hatred. Who later regretted what he did... Her hands shivered around Korra's waist.

"_What's..? What is it..?_" - Korra didn't hesitated to express her concern.

"_It's...I just remembered my father..._" - her head fell on Korra's back again.

Korra released Naga's lead and took Asami's hands on her waist with her left hand. She managed to put her right hand on Asami's head and give her some comforting strokes: "_Hey! There were a bunch of people living at that time too! Your father doesn't need to be Azulon! As far as we know, he might have been a farmer, trying to make a better life for him and his family..!_"

Asami nodded. Korra took Asami's gloved hands and kissed them. Then put them around her waist again and resumed the steering. Asami tried to get closer to Korra by squeezing her. Korra didn't say anything. Just smiled lovingly. She enjoyed the feeling. She enjoyed Asami.

"_You think Katara would be present in your life?_" - Asami continued the topic.

"_In **our** life..?_"

Asami could not help but smile on the correction. She did not know how Korra managed, but it was so easy for her to bring a smile in Asami's face: "_Of course. Sorry. In **our** life._"

Korra was pleased with herself. She managed to correct the smartest person in the universe! "_I sure hope so. I don't care what kind of relationship it would be, but I would love to have her in our life. I can see why Aang felt for her. She's great. I don't remember seeing her questioning whether or not to do the right thing. She always did it. She never turned her back on people in need. I don't know where she got all the strength to endure all the hardships and everything. So yeah, I hope she would continue to be in our life even after she'll leave this lifetime of hers._"

Asami could not help but grow even more respect for the legendary water bender master - "_She sounds amazing..._"

"_She is. And she kind of reminds me of you..._" - Korra said with a smirk.

"_Me?!_" - the unexpected comparison shocked Asami quite a bit - "_A legendary water bender master who brought Aang back to life, help stop the hundred years war and start era of peace and kindness, reminds you of a ordinary non-bender?!_"

"_Yes. Although I would not agree on the "ordinary" part._" - Korra said casually as if telling that it's cold in the South pole.

"_I can't see any resemblance here..._" - Asami hoped to extract a bit more information from Korra.

"_Well I do. And you have to believe me. After all, I am your wife you know. And I don't lie. Especially to you."_

"Y_ou know, at this rate this 'wife' card would be all used out..._" - Asami smiled again. She found Korra's proud voice in this situation very amusing.

"_It has an expiration?_" - Korra wondered.

"_Yes it does. Especially for the 'often users'. And you will have to trust me..._"

"_Because you're **my** wife..?_"

"_Exactly!_" - Asami said firmly yet still with a felt smile in it. After few quiet moments she added - "_So where are the resemblance between me and Sifu Katara?_" - direct approach - that's what worked with Korra best.

"_You really don't see them? None at all?_"

"_No._"

"_Well, first of all, you care for others no less than she does. You want to help them first without thinking about yourself. You are **the** master brain bender - sifu Asami of the Sato family. You use your resources to help people, build city, seek for the balance, you search for ways to improve the quality of life for the poorest and you search for ways that there will not be no poor people at all. Katara might have never turn her back on the people in need, but so didn't you. You had to overcome many hardships, some of which, I think, might have been even greater than Katara's, but you still done the right thing. Always. That is why I think, that you are the strongest person I have ever met with Katara just little behind you._" - And with that, at the back of her head, Korra wondered, if Asami is blushing by now. She didn't had the tendency to do that, but she was modest even if she had this high amount of self-confidence - "_Oh, and yeah, you saved my life._"

Asami's jaw dropped a little: "_I did..?_"

"_Yes. More than once actually. In the desert. After Zaheer. And you made sure I'm fine and safe. Even when I was just meditating._"

"_Ok, I'll take the desert incident, but it was Su who saved your life from the poison. I could not do anything._" - for Asami being powerless was just as hard as it was for Korra. They both hated it equally - _"All I could do was just stand there and watch you suffer with fierce eyes glow in rage and then ... _"

Korra didn't let her finish: "_Su did take the poison out, but it was you who took care of me on the daily basis before I left. It was only you I could let see myself like that. It was you who offered to leave all her life, her company, her city and be with me in a cold, unknown land, where people usually don't go to 'just for fun'. You offered to leave your home just to be with me, to keep me company so I wouldn't be alone. You always took care of me. You knew what to say, what to do._"

"_But you said no to me coming with you, so I stayed...But I didn't think you'd be alone. It was your home. You had your parents and Katara._"

"_Yeah, but I had no friends. I didn't have you. So you wrote me letters. And even though they were frustrating, they were comforting too._"

"_But I wasn't the only one who wrote to you. Mako, Bolin, the kids - they all wrote to you too. Wait - frustrating? Sorry about that. Why?_"

"_Hehehe._ _Don't worry about that. It was frustrating, because you all were doing these important things, helping the world. You all were doing my job. And I was stuck here, stuck to my bed. I started to question if the world still needed me. I even shouted at Katara... I apologized immediately, but it still felt bad. And as for the letters from other - yes, they did write. But your letters felt different. I don't know how to explain this. They were... carrying, sincere, honest... It felt as if at least you needed me. I really don't know how to describe it, but I hope you get it that they were helping me a lot._"

"_I did need you. And I still do. I did all those things, because I missed you and I wanted to help you do your job. To celebrate what you already have done."_

_"Wow. Thank you. But do you now believe me that you are amazing just as Katara is?"_

_"Ok, I will believe you._"

"_Because I'm your wife..?_"

Asami chuckled - "_And because of that too._" - she pressed a kiss to Korra's shoulder without realizing it and put her head on the scapula in front of her - "_I can't believe I saved the you, Korra... and the avatar too. Will have to put this on my resume..._"

They both laughed. With Korra trying to speak: "_Tell me if you'll need a recommendation letter - I'll give you a very good one._"

"_Deal._" - Asami closed her eyes. She could almost fall asleep now. It was so calm and warm. The stars in the sky were still watching over them. In their and the moon light, the snow was dancing around the couple. Everything was good. And she helped Korra. Korra helped her. And they were going to be together. And Asami got compared with the prominent Katara. Still a 'wow' here.

"_Asami?_"

"_Yeah._"

"_I think I just realized what 'the avatar type' is... Thank you._"

Asami could not help but laugh. Again. Korra's fault: "_Glad to help._"

.

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><p>.<p>

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Notes: yes, still not kiss :)


	9. Chapter 9

"_I assume asking You where are we going for that long would be meaningless..._" - Asami kind-of-asked-kind-of-observed.

"_You know me well, Mrs. Sato._" - Korra replied with that pleased-with-herself taste.

Asami just sighted: "I guess that's what I signed for by marrying this impulsive and spontaneous, in some cases, woman..." - she thought to herself pressing harder to Korra. A loving and happy smile came to her face afterwards.

"_Don't worry, I told you that I'll take care of you and I will._" - Korra replied to Asami's action turning her head to Asami and leaning it backwards to touch Asami's head.

"_I know you will. I'm not worrying about that._" - with her eyes closed, Asami rubbed her nose into Korra's cheek that was now available to her. It was their first intimacy of that kind, but for both of them, it felt so natural that they even didn't noticed doing it.

"_Good. Because we're here._" - Korra almost whispered to Asami the moment Naga stopped.

It took another moment for Asami to be able to pull away from Korra, to open her eyes and to look around. They were standing on an ice shelf. Just an ordinary ice shelf as any other in the South pole. At least that's what she thought. Korra's face was lit with a one-sided smile. She understood that Asami was puzzled and didn't manage to grasp why did they ride this far to be standing on ice with some view to the ocean. She helped Asami get down from Naga, took Asami's palm in her own. The stars still gazed upon them and Korra was grateful for such a wonderful night.

"_C'mon, I want to show you something. This is my favourite place in the South pole. But even though I ran with Naga here many times, I've never managed to see the same sight for two times. It's always a surprise._" - Korra tried to explain Asami at least something, but the greatest mind in the universe still was puzzled.

"_Just come!_" - Korra shouted and started to run lightly.

Asami almost fell from the sudden pull, but her combat skills helped to react quickly and she soon caught Korra.

They both were happy as a polar bear-dog meeting the snow for the first time. Naga was running just behind them jumping as a rabbit-ant.

Asami was so concentrated on Korra and the whole moment they where in, that she didn't noticed how a strange ice structure appeared in front of them. It was something, that looked like a tunnel made from ice, but it wasn't really a tunnel. Its walls both from outside and inside weren't smooth, but looked as if someone carved it. There were some openings that joined the outside and inside. In some places the ice was thinner than others. It looked as a structure form a world, that wasn't neither the physical, nor the spirit one. The ice structure had a twisting pillar on the top of its blunt triangle-like entrance. The entrances wasn't even. The left side had a large peace missing only a third of its length above ground. And the missing peace didn't have a regular form, it resembled a circle that was stretched to one end and was going up and into the ice cave. The other side of the entrance was wider at its base. The upper corner was so thin that Asami could almost see it collapsing any minute now. It then widened again merging with the twisted pillar at the top. The light wind that was blowing caught the edges of the entrance and made a strange low pitch howl. The pitch of the howl changed with the wind speed and it started to sound a bit like a musical pattern. Asami wondered how was it here during a blizzard. Or at least during mid-winds... She then took few steps to the right side of the icy structure. The middle section at some parts were carved in leaving smooth icy 'bubbles' to stand-out. One of them had a deep dip behind it. The structure felt as if it was waving as water does. It was a strange thing to see to Asami, as she always thought of ice as a steady and firm structure. Almost as an earth, only made from water. She took few steps more and saw icy columns wide at both ends and eaten in the middle. Lines indented across the columns could be seen. Their width varied, but they were perfectly straight.

Korra pulled Asami's hand slightly: "_C'mon, let's get in. It's wonderful there during the full moon and the full stars, clear sky._"

Asami nodded cautiously. She still was affected by this unearthly sight. But if Korra said that this spectacular structure was impressive inside, than she believed her. And so she went in, trailing Korra by half a step.

And Korra indeed was right. The structure inside was...was...awe-inspiring. The light, that penetrated through the ice amplified the difference in the walls and made a strange shadow dance inside. The inside structures made it even more marvellous. There were sculpture-like ice figures. One of them had the shape of a woman, who had leaned to take something, that was hidden deep into the icy wall. The ceiling seemed as sea floor. It was very wavy at some parts. It was also uneven, with sometimes deep dips or long protuberant structures, which too looked very individual. Some of them were similar to stalactites or big icicles. Others were way more complex. With small irregularities on them. As they walked and the light angle changes, the complex structures revealed even more of themselves. The penetrating light made some parts of the ice shine like glowing dragon-flies. Asami did not know what it was exactly in the ice that gave such an effect and at that time even her engineering brain was shut by the sight. They walked even further. Moon and light made its way through openings in the walls and ceiling. As far as Asami could see, there were no sharp edges. All was smooth, uneven, constantly changing. Some ice looked very clear and the light dyed it blue with clearly visible shade of green. Other ice was blur, filled with small bubbles of gasses that was, as Asami thought or hoped it to be, air. When the light fell on them, they spangled as stars in the sky the newly-wed couple have seen outside all this night. The height of the cave fluctuated from no more than two finger thickness to few Asami's. The width also changed a lot with some places, where both of them needed to turn sideways in order to just get through to large gallerias. The ice was cold. Not wet, not melting with the a touch. It was dry cold. Finally they reached a deep opening that looked straight up to the moon. The entrance they passed was nowhere to be seen. The only opening was the hole few, maybe even more Asami's above their heads. They were standing right in the middle of the hole. Moon was so bright, that their shadows were sort-of mimicking them on the ice. As the ice curved at a high level, it looked as shadow-Korra was sitting and shadow-Asami was leaning on her. The real Korra and Asami was standing holding each other in a close embrace. Korra holding Asami by her waist and Asami having her hands on Korra's shoulders. They kept their distance so they would be able to look at each other.

"_Korra! This is...this is...amazing! I've never imagined that ice can be like...that!_" - she raised her hands showing to everything that surrounded her.

Korra smiled warmly: "_Yeah, I know. Most people think of ice as a smooth and flat material. But it's not. Ice can be diverse. It can have a big swell or a small one. And right next to it it can have a deep sink. It can be pillar-like or it might resemble small upside-down mountains, or thousands of large needles hanging from the ceiling. This cave also has another feature that people tend to forget about ice - change. They say, that water is the element of change. It flows, it waves, it gets the form of anything you put it into. But ice also changes. I said this already, but I never managed to come here and see the same thing twice. Even now when we were going, I didn't know what we'll find. Ice is changing so fast that I started to think, that liquid water is more steady form than ice. Because of all these changing forms, every time I came here, I felt as if I was able to enter an upside-word, which is the small version of our world. It had everything that is found there, outside this ice cave. So when I was locked in the White lotus compound, Naga and I used to come here a lot and I imagined all sorts of things about the people, the creatures that lived here, in this reduced version of our world. And I was the silent observer of it._" - Korra's eyes wandered all around the cave as she was telling Asami about this ice world.

"_Hm...I never thought about that, but now that you mentioned, I did think that ice is sturdy, uniform material. Even if I feel quite silly now saying that out loud... But I didn't imagine that ice could be...something like that_!" - she again gestured all around them - "_it's so beautiful...and calm..._"

"_Yeah, ice can be like that. If we'd come here in summer, ice water rain would fall on us. In the summer, as the temperatures are a bit higher and the winds are a bit warmer, the ice starts to melt and the melted water starts to rain from the top. It's great sight, but I also feel sad a bit about that. Although then I tend to remind myself, that later, the snow and wind will form this place anew._"

"_Thank you for sharing this with me, for showing this to me._" - Asami looked with her grateful and loving gaze on Korra. - "_I think it could easily become my favourite place too...Especially if you would be here to keep the cold out_."

Korra could not help herself and a blush escaped on her cheeks: "_You're very welcome. Showing this to you was my pleasure._"

They locked their eyes on each other. The moon underlined Korra's blush and it made Asami smile just a bit more. She brushed Korra's reddened cheeks with her right hand fingers. Not only the moon light amplify the blush, but it also stressed Korra's (and Asami's, for that matter, too) facial features. Her bright blue eyes become vivid as Asami had never seen before. Her small pointy nose casted a small shadow on part of her cheek. Her lower jaw were exposed like never before. Asami trailed the jaw line with her eyes enjoying every nanometer of it, completely unaware that she was shamelessly staring at Korra.

But Korra didn't noticed that. She was too involved doing her own staring at Asami. Noticing her green eyes, that reminded her of the first spring leaves colour she seen in the Earth kingdom. The only difference was that the leaves were flat and the eyes of Asami was glowing its green colour. Korra found loosing herself in these eyes. She didn't see her or their lives, or their future. She didn't see the world in them. What Korra saw in Asami's eyes was bigger, much more bigger. She saw all the universe, she saw the other worlds that are far far in those stars, which shine so friendly on them now. She saw all the answers to all the questions - both asked and yet unasked ones.

They were like that. Standing wordlessly. Korra holding Asami over her waist. Asami having her left hand on Korra's shoulder, while fingers of her right hand slightly touched Korra's cheek. The blush long gone and forgotten.

And after few, or maybe more, minutes, Korra made a sound.

"_You know, this cave was the most amazing thing I have ever seen..._" - she started to speak slowly and softly, as if trying not to break the silent, the intimate moment they were sharing.

"_To be honest, I think this is the most amazing thing I have ever seen too._" - Asami answered with her voice weak, as if she joined Korra in her effort to cautiously hold that 'something' that was there and then.

"_But later I found out, that this was the second most amazing...am...thing?...in the world ever existed..._" - Korra said a bit mysteriously.

"_Would you share the first one with me?_" - Asami was curious. But this time it wasn't her engineering side that wanted to know. It was her whole essence.

"_Well, I could try, if I just managed to use the right amount of bending..._" - Korra, having her hands still behind Asami, bended very smooth, highly reflective piece of ice, with a size of four palms and two fingers thick. She leaned back a bit forcing Asami to move her palms from Korra's face. Korra moved the ice in front of Asami - "_There. See?_"

Asami was staring at herself. Eyes wide. She definitely did not expected to be "the most amazing thing in the world ever existed": "_Me..?_"

Korra took the ice and froze it back to its original place. She then looked back at Asami and nodded: "_Yes. No doubt about it. You are the most amazing...anything..! In this world. In all the worlds._" - she took a few silent moments to look closely at Asami's eyes again. She pulled Asami back as close as she could, still keeping their eyes locked - "_You are my home._"

Asami was stuck. She heard all those beautiful, wonderful words that Korra said to her in the vow and yet, she somehow still managed to make up more. Asami felt her eyes got wetter with tears gathering in them. Korra grasped it quickly and found herself startled: "_I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!_"

Asami just smiled cupping Korra's face in her palms: "_It's tears of joy, you silly! I'm happy. Very happy._"

Korra's body eased at those words. Their eyes still locked. Korra's hands trailed up Asami's back. Her palms where now at Asami's scapula. Asami slowly and gently moved Korra's face with her palms towards her own. The tip of their noses touched. The moon and the start light still upon them. Their hearts wasn't bouncing as crazy. On the contrary, it was beating even slower than usually. They stopped for a moment. They gazed surely at each other. Their souls connecting even more with every photon reaching their retina. They closed their eyes at the same time. Both slightly angled their heads to the right. Korra gently tightened her hug around Asami. Asami's right hand moved behind Korra's neck and her palm gently touched Korra's hair. Their lips were less than millimetre away from each other.


End file.
